New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people from the backcountry.

“DEC Forest Rangers’ knowledge of first aid, land navigation and technical rescue techniques are often critical to the success of their missions,” said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. “Search and rescue missions often require Rangers to function in remote wilderness areas from rugged mountainous peaks to white-water rivers, and through vast forest areas from spruce-fir thicket to open hardwoods.”

Recent missions carried out by DEC Forest Rangers in the Adirondacks include:

Essex County

Pharaoh Lake Wilderness, Town of Ticonderoga

Injured Hiker: On October 30, 2014, at 6:45 p.m., a DEC Forest Ranger responded to a call to locate an overdue hiker in the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness area. A family member earlier had dropped off the 45-year-old male hiker from Aurora, CO at the Long Swing trail. The hiker had not arrived at the pick-up point as scheduled and the family member contacted the Forest Ranger. Two additional Forest Rangers responded to assist in locating the hiker. The Forest Rangers entered the trail at 7:00 p.m., and at 7:15 p.m. a family member informed the Rangers that the hiker was located. While descending Pharaoh Mountain, the hiker had fallen and injured his knee. The hiker’s progress was slowed due to his injury. Forest Rangers assisted the injured hiker to the trailhead without further incident. The hiker sought medical attention on his own.

Washington County

Lake George Wild Forest, Town of Dresden

Lost Hiker: On November 3, 2014, at 5:33 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Washington County 911 advising of a missing hiker on Black Mountain in Lake George. The 59-year-old woman from Hudson Falls, NY was last seen earlier near the summit of Black Mountain. Two DEC Forest Rangers responded to trailhead and met with the woman’s hiking partner who reported her missing. He stated that it had been one and half hours since he last saw the missing hiker. The Forest Rangers started up the trail and located the woman just 0.2 miles from the trailhead. She said she had been searching for her hiking partner, not knowing he had reached the trailhead. Rangers escorted the hiker back to the trailhead and reunited her with party at 6:21p.m.

Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s Hiking Safety (http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28708.html) and Adirondack Trail Information (http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7865.html) web for more information.